# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1904_S59
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1904. 59

and day has visited a house of God. Some of the former members we have lost to heterodox churches. But even so the Word of the LORD has not been preached in vain here either. Besides some children who were baptized, one adult woman has been received through confirmation and another through holy Baptism. But the congregation has grown not only outwardly, but especially inwardly. Thus, for example, church discipline proceedings have been initiated against every member who has separated from us by joining a heterodox fellowship. To be sure, owing to the blindness of the people and their low esteem of the Word of God, we did not succeed in bringing them to repentance. But the congregation was thoroughly instructed on this occasion about brotherly reproof, church discipline, etc., as also otherwise, especially at the Wednesday evening services and congregational meetings, the false teachings of the false fellowships surrounding us were brought to the brightest light. So we ask the dear Christians of the *Synodalconferenz* [Synodical Conference] to let their prayers rise to God also in the future for this mission station. And the faithful God, who has brought this work so far and has blessed it until now, will also stand by us further and, despite all difficulties and hindrances, advance the work. May he grant his servants wisdom, courage, confidence, power and strength, and our Negroes faithfulness, that they may persevere in the known truth to the end!"

Monroe. This station was founded a little more than two years ago by Missionary Bakke. It was here that once, two years ago on Palm Sunday, 12 persons presented themselves for holy Baptism and 15 for confirmation. Since Professor Bakke's transfer to Concord and since Candidate Essig's call to Monroe, things have gone here not forward but backward. Missionary Essig held out eight months in this mission field and has recently followed a call into the white mission in Pennsylvania. He writes: "Monroe and Southern Pines should be filled again, but by no means any longer by a white, but only by a black missionary, since the white inhabitants protest energetically against a white man serving a Negro congregation." For five months Missionary Essig kept school in Monroe; he began with 35 children, and when he stopped he had only 2 children. The number of souls in Monroe is 24, the number of communicants 14, of voting members 3. The services were attended on average by 14 adults and 8 children.

Southern Pines. This station lies 81 miles from Monroe. Here too there has often been a change in the last years, that is, one worker had to relieve another. In the last eight months this station stood under Missionary Essig's direction. It numbers 20 souls, 11 communicants and 2 voting members. Church attendance averaged 10 adults and 4 children.